The Royal Air Force (RAF) of Britain has abandoned the promising guided unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Mosquito. The drone could fly in 2023, writes the UK Defense Journal.
The decision was made based on the analysis of the Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) program and the drone demonstrator. Specialists of the Air Force and the Laboratory of Defense Science and Technology came to the conclusion that greater efficiency can be achieved with less expensive devices.
It is noted that the rejection of Mosquito will not affect plans to create guided drones. As part of the Future Combat Air System program, Britain plans to create UAVs that will be able to perform tasks after 2035.
"Thanks to the Mosquito Project and other experimental activities, the Royal Air Force has made significant progress and gained significant value in understanding and using a range of future unmanned capabilities. This decision maximizes the experience gained to date and allows you to change the direction of the LANCA program," Air Force Commodore Jez Holmes said.
In May, it became known that the Russian S-70B drone, which can become a wingman of the Su-57 fighter, was taught to use fifth-generation fighter missiles.